TMP3200/420 DATASHEET

TMP3200/420 Marking System General Arrangement

System Overview
The Telesis TMP3200/420 PINSTAMP marking system
permanently prints messages into a variety of materials such as steel,
aluminum, and plastic. A hardened pin is pneumatically accelerated
to indent dot matrix characters into the item being marked. The
shape, size, density, and location of characters are determined by the
user through the system software. The marking head moves the pin
cartridge through X- and Y-axis motions to reach the correct position
for each dot of the characters to be marked. The system software
automatically controls pin extension and retraction to mark the
message.

The internal mechanism is protected from debris by an integral

shield. Stainless steel panels slide against one another, constrained
by the cartridge and the high-impact ABS cover, to prevent debris
from entering the marking head.

TMP3200 Marking Head includes the mechanical motion

components to position the marking pin at precise X/Y positions
and the pneumatic components to drive the marking pin out from,
and return the pin back into, the pin cartridge.

Marking Pins for the TMP3200 include the 25S-, 25L-, 25XL, and
the 150SA-series. Refer to the marking head installation drawing
for pin stroke (pin extension) dimensions. Refer to the marking
depth tables for pin cone angles and depths.

The TMP3200 marking head is an X/Y-traversing mechanism.

Using two stepper motor drives, it accurately and rapidly positions
the pin at coordinate-defined locations in marking window within
.03175 mm (.00125"). The marker accommodates the rigorous
dynamics of impacting, rebounding, and rapid positioning of the
marking pin through a system of rigid rails and ball bearing saddles,
timing belts, and direct-drive, toothed pulleys.
The floating pin design permits high quality, consistent marks on
irregular, slightly curved surfaces. It also accommodates applications
where marking surfaces cannot be positioned at a consistent distance
from the marker.

Doc. No. 36996 Rev. G

Marker Cable, pre-wired to the marking head, connects the marker

to the controller. The highly flexible cable is 4m (13 ft.) long.
Optional extension cables are available for greater distances.

Filter/Regulator Unit includes two regulators with pressure

gauges to control the drive air and return air. The first regulator
contains a filter to help remove contaminants from the supply air.
Two air lines connect the regulated air to the marking head. Drive air
fires the impact pin; return air pushes it back into the cartridge. The
standard air lines are 4m (13 ft.) long made of 6 mm tubing.

TMC420 Controller includes an integrated keyboard with a four

line LCD display. It provides the electrical interface and software
control of the TMP3200 marking head. (Refer to TMC420
Controller Specifications for details.)

2003 2007 Telesis Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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TMP3200/420 DATASHEET

TMP3200 Mounting Details

System Setup
When designing a fixture, allow for 3-axis adjustment to aid in
horizontal, vertical, and lateral alignment of the marking head.
1.
Mount marking head to optional tool post assembly (or other
suitable fixture) using four M6-1.00 x 20 mm bolts.
Note: The marking head may be mounted in any orientation,
but preferred installation is with the pin pointed downward.
2.
Mount filter/regulator assembly, using brackets provided,
within 4 m (13 ft.) of marking head.
3.
Connect drive air and return air lines to the connectors on
back of marking head.
4.
Connect supply air to input port on filter/regulator assembly.
5.
Adjust pin stroke, drive air, and return air for proper pin
impact depth.
Nominal drive air pressure 5.5 bars (80 psi)
Nominal return air pressure 1.5 bars (20 psi)
Note: The TMC420 is not a sealed unit. Protect it from
potentially damaging conditions and contaminants. Do
not block case vents. Ensure the marking system is
electrically isolated from any devices that may generate
extreme electromagnetic interference (EMI).
6.

Locate controller as close as practical to marking head.

Standard marker cable length is 4 m (13 ft.).

Doc. No. 36996 Rev. G

7.
8.
9.

Ensure controller power switch (on back panel) is OFF;

connect power cable to controller.
Connect marker cable from marking head to controller;
tighten securely.
Position controller power switch to ON (on back panel) to
start the system software.

System Options
Tool Post Assembly
Marking Head Extension Cables
Clip-on Cartridge Adapter Kit
TMC420 Controller Mounting Bracket Kit
TMC420 Controller NEMA 12 Enclosure
Bar Code Scanner or Bar Code Wand with Cable
Foot Switch (Start Print) or Pushbutton Station (Start/Abort)
Backup Utility Software
Upgrade Utility Software
Logo/Font Generator Software

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TMP3200/420 DATASHEET
TMP3200 Marking Head
Specifications. The TMP3200 marking head specifications are
subject to change without prior notice.
DIMENSIONS

see illustration above

WEIGHT

6.8 kg (15 lb.), marking head and cable

OPERATING TEMP.

0 to 50 C (32 to 122 F), non-condensing

AIR SUPPLY

Clean and dry, 4.0 to 6.9 bars (60 to 100 psi)

AIR CONSUMPTION

0.04 SCFM (idle) 0.8 SCFM (marking)

MARKING AREA

150 x 100 mm (6.0 x 4.0")

PIN TYPES

25S-, 25L-, 25XL, or 150SA-series

PIN MATERIAL

Powdered metal or stainless steel with diamond tip

or carbide (25S,25L,25XL-series)
Powdered metal or tool steel with carbide tip
(150SA-series)

Pin Life. Pin life depends largely on the type of material being
marked, how hard or abrasive it is, and the required marking depth.
On typical metals with a hardness of Rockwell Rb47, marking at a
depth of .127 mm (.005"), powdered steel pins average about 3
million impressions before needing sharpened; carbide pins average
approximately 9 million impressions. If carbide pins are used,
marking times will increase by approximately 25% due to the
increased weight of the pins.

Marking Characteristics. The TMP3200 can produce characters

as small as .76 mm (.030"), printed at any angle within the marking
window. Printing resolutions range from 4 to 79 dots per cm (10 to
200 dots per inch) for an engraved look. The depth of mark can be
adjusted over a significant range by adjusting the pin stroke and, to
a lesser extent, by adjusting the drive air pressure.

Marking Noise. Although every attempt is made to reduce noise,

the material being marked significantly influences the noise level.
For example, marking a solid lead block produces less noise than
marking a thin-walled steel pipe.

Marking Depth. The following tables provide sample marking

depths. Drive air was set at 5.5 bars (80 psi); return air was set at
1.5 bars (20 psi); pin stroke was set to the maximum allowable
distance for each pin type to achieve the maximum depth of mark.
Max. Marking Depths Type 25S Powdered-Metal Pin
MATERIAL
(HARDNESS)
Aluminum
(Rb2)
Brass
(Rb22)
Cast Iron
(Rb47)
Cold Rolled Steel
(Rb53)

Doc. No. 36996 Rev. G

45
CONE

60
CONE

.178 mm
.007 in.
.152 mm
.006 in.
.127 mm
.005 in.
.102 mm
.004 in.

.229 mm
.009 in.
.178 mm
.007 in
.152 mm
.006 in.
.127 mm
.005 in.

.279 mm
.011 in.
.203 mm
.008 in.
.178 mm
.007 in
.152 mm
.006 in.

Max. Marking Depths Type 25S Carbide Pin

MATERIAL
(HARDNESS)
Aluminum
(Rb2)
Brass
(Rb22)
Cast Iron
(Rb47)
Cold Rolled Steel
(Rb53)

30
CONE

45
CONE

60
CONE

.178 mm
.007 in
.152 mm
.006 in.
.127 mm
.005 in.
.102 mm
.004 in.

.229 mm
.009 in.
.203 mm
.008 in.
.178 mm
.007 in
.152 mm
.006 in.

.305 mm
.012 in.
.254 mm
.010 in.
.203 mm
.008 in.
.178 mm
.007 in

Max. Marking Depths Type 150SA Carbide-Tipped Pin

MATERIAL
(HARDNESS)

Marking Speeds. The system will mark up to four characters per

second when marking 3 mm (.118 in.) high, 5 x 7 dot matrix
characters using a 25S powdered steel marking pin with the
standard 25S cartridge, with a pin stroke of 3 mm (.118 in.) and the
drive air pressure set to 5.5 bars (80 psig). The marking speed can
be adjusted to allow more precisely formed characters. Doing so,
under these same conditions, will result in reduced marking speeds.
Note that marking speeds vary widely depending on character size,
drive air pressure, dot density, pin stroke, pin type and pin
cartridge. Increased character size, increased dot density, increased
pin stroke, and/or decrease drive air pressure all result in decreased
marking speeds. The use of a heavier marking pin, such as the 25S
carbide pin or the 150SA carbide-tipped pin, or the use on nonstandard marking pin cartridges will also result in decreased
marking speeds. Specific times and speeds can be verified by a
Telesis representative.

30
CONE

Aluminum
(Rb2)
Brass
(Rb22)
Cast Iron
(Rb47)
Cold Rolled Steel
(Rb53)

30
CONE

45
CONE

.356 mm
.014 in.
.229 mm
.009 in.
.203 mm
.008 in
.203 mm
.008 in.

.457 mm
.018 in.
.330 mm
.013 in.
.279 mm
.011 in.
.254 mm
.010 in.

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TMP3200/420 DATASHEET

TMC420 Mounting Drawing

TMC420 Controller
Configurations. Three models of the TMC420 are available for use
with the TMP3200: the TMC420 table-top controller, the TMC420P
panel-mounted controller, and the TMC420N enclosure-mounted
controller. All controllers provide the same software features and the
same connectivity for external communications. Differences occur
only in their mounting configurations.
TMC420 Specifications. The TMC420 controller specifications
are subject to change without prior notice.
refer to TMC420 Mounting Drawing
NEMA 1 (I.P. 30)
WEIGHT
2.15 kg (4.75 lb.)
OPERATING TEMP.
0 to 50C (32 to 122 F), non-condensing
POWER REQUIREMENT 95-130 VAC, 2 amps, 50-60 Hz single phase
200-250 VAC, 1 amp, 50-60 Hz single phase
I/O VOLTAGE
12 to 24 VDC (customer-supplied)
DIMENSIONS
RATING

TMC420P Specifications. The TMC420P controller specifications

are subject to change without prior notice.
refer to TMC420P Mounting Drawing
NEMA 1 (I.P. 30) stand-alone
NEMA 12 (I.P. 65) installed
WEIGHT
3.10 kg (6.8 lb.)
OPERATING TEMP.
0 to 50C (32 to 122 F), non-condensing
POWER REQUIREMENT 95-130 VAC, 2 amps, 50-60 Hz single phase
200-250 VAC, 1 amp, 50-60 Hz single phase
I/O VOLTAGE
12 to 24 VDC (customer-supplied)
DIMENSIONS
RATING

TMC420N Specifications. The TMC420N controller

specifications are subject to change without prior notice.
refer to TMC420N Mounting Drawing
NEMA 12 (I.P. 65)
WEIGHT
12.77 kg (28.1 lb.)
OPERATING TEMP.
0 to 50C (32 to 122 F), non-condensing
POWER REQUIREMENT 95-130 VAC, 2 amps, 50-60 Hz single phase
200-250 VAC, 1 amp, 50-60 Hz single phase
I/O VOLTAGE
12 to 24 VDC (customer-supplied)
DIMENSIONS
RATING

Doc. No. 36996 Rev. G

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TMP3200/420 DATASHEET

TMC420P Mounting Drawing

Environmental Considerations. The following environmental

considerations must be taken into account when installing the
TMC420 controller.
Contaminants. The vented and fan-cooled TMC420 is rated
NEMA 1 (IP30). Accordingly, in environments where solid
and/or liquid contaminants are present, the possibility exists that
these contaminants can be drawn into the TMC420 controller and
possibly result in failure of a number of electronic components.
For that reason, in these types of environments, the controller
must be located in a sealed industrial enclosure. To facilitate
such installations, Telesis offers the panel-mounted TMC420P
and the enclosure-mounted NEMA 12 (IP65) rated TMC420N.
Telesis also offers an optional NEMA 12 (IP65) enclosure in
which the TMC420 can be mounted for applications that do not
require frequent operator access to the TMC420 display and
keyboard.
EMI Susceptibility. Although the system has been found to be
in compliance with pertinent susceptibility standards, care should
be taken when installing near welders and other extreme
generators of electromagnetic interference (EMI). Particular care
should be taken to ensure welder currents are not injected
through the marking head chassis. The marking head chassis is
connected to the electrical service earth ground through the
marking head cable. The marking head should be electrically
isolated from all surfaces which could become part of a welder
current path.

Doc. No. 36996 Rev. G

System Software. The system software is permanently installed in

the controller. It provides the user interface for the operator to
control the marker. The software also provides a library for storing,
loading, and editing user-defined patterns. Patterns are files stored in
the controllers memory. The controller can store up to 75 patterns.
Each pattern contains one or more fields. A field defines a single
object and how it will be printed. Fields may define text strings, arcs,
arctext strings, Goto or Pause commands, or machine-readable data
matrix symbols. Text fields may include alphanumeric characters,
symbols, and special message flags. The message flags automatically
insert data into the text string, such as serial numbers, times, and
dates.

Interface Panel. The interface panel provides various ports for

connecting the marker, host computers, logic controllers, or
optional accessories.
Serial Interface. The Host Port is used for RS-232 and RS-485
communications with serial devices such as a host computer or bar
code scanner. Up to 31 controllers may be used in a multi-drop
configuration using the RS-485 interface. The host computer can load
patterns, download messages, place the marker on/offline, and
monitor system errors. (See Serial Communications for details.)

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TMP3200/420 DATASHEET

TMC420N Mounting Drawing

I/O Control Signals. The TMC420 is configured for DC I/O only.

The TTL I/O Port may be used to connect a remote pushbutton
control for Start Print and Abort commands. The I/O Port may be
used to connect a PLC or other DC I/O source. The I/O Port allows
remote control of pattern selection, printing, aborting, placing the
marker online, and monitoring of the Ready and Done output
signals. Cable connectors and connector pins are supplied with the
controller for constructing appropriate interface cables.

Serial Communications. The Host Port may be used for either

RS-232 or RS-485 communication. The RS-232 interface is most
often used with remote devices such as bar code readers or host
computers. The RS-485 interface is normally used for long
transmission distances or multi-drop networks of up to 31 TMC420
controllers. The serial port may be configured to communicate
using either the Telesis Programmable Protocol or Telesis Extended
Protocol. The following describes the serial data character format
on all transmissions to and from the TMC420 controller.

START PRINT

Input signal, begins print cycle

SEL_0, 1, 2, 3 *

Input signals, remote pattern selection (15* max.)

Asynchronous

SEL_3 *

Input signal, marker online

1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, or 19200 baud-host

ABORT

Input signal, aborts print cycle

One Start Bit

INPUT COMM

For all inputs (+ or supply)

One or Two Stop Bit(s)

READY

Output signal, ready for message or start print

Seven or Eight Data Bits

DONE

Output signal, print cycle complete

None, Even or Odd Parity

OUTPUT COMM For all outputs (+ or supply)

* System software allows SEL_3 signal to be configured for remotely
selecting patterns or for remotely placing the marker online. If used
for marker online, pattern selection is reduced to 7 patterns (max).

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TMP3200/420 DATASHEET
Programmable Protocol is used where very simple one-way
communications are required (such as with bar code scanners).
Programmable Protocol provides no error checking or
acknowledgment of the transmitted data. Note that XON/XOFF
Protocol applies even when Programmable Protocol is selected.
Starting Character specifies where the software begins to count
character positions. This number must be entered in ASCII
decimal format such as 2 for STX.
Terminating Character identifies the end of transmitted string
(usually ASCII carriage return character, decimal 13).
Character Position counted from the starting character ignoring
all characters preceding it.
Character Length accepts variable length messages (if set to 0)
or messages of a pre-specified, fixed number of characters.
Ignore Character identifies the character to ignore when sent
from the host (usually ASCII line feed character, decimal 10).

TYPE A single, printable ASCII character that defines the

meaning (type) and content of the message downloaded from the

host, where:
1 overwrites the specified field of currently loaded pattern,
using the format 1nn<string> where nn is the field number.
V updates specified variable text field of currently loaded pattern,
using the format Vnn<string> where nn is the field number.
Q updates specified query buffer with the data received from
host, using the format Qnn<string> where nn is the buffer
number.
P specifies pattern name to be loaded for printing
O resets marker and places it online
G initiates a print cycle to mark the currently loaded pattern
I requests the marker output status; returns a single-digit
hexadecimal value to report state of READY and DONE:
Returned Value

DONE

READY

0
1
2
3

off
off
ON
ON

Off
ON
Off
ON

Message Type allows message-type recognition which defines

how the marking system will use data it receives from the host..
P

loads a specific pattern identified by data extracted from host

updates first variable text field with data extracted from host

overwrites first text field with data extracted from the host

Q updates text in first query buffer with data extracted from host
0

indicates that host will provide message type, field number

(if applicable), and data; delegates message type selection to
the host on message-by-message basis. The host message
must use the format Tnn<string> where:
T

= P, V, 1, or Q to indicate the message type.

nn

= two-digit number to indicate field number or

query text buffer where data will be placed. Note
that a number is not used with Message Type P.

<string> = pattern name (Message Type P) or field data

(Message Types V, 1, or Q), as applicable.

Extended Protocol includes error checking and transmission

acknowledgment. It should be used in applications where serial
communication is a vital part of the marking operation. Extended
Protocol must be used in multi-drop applications. All
communications are carried out in a master-slave relationship with
the host being the master. Only the master has the ability to initiate
communications. If the host does not receive a response within three
seconds, it should re-transmit its original message. If no response is
received after three tries, it should declare the link to be down.
The following describes the message format as sent from the master
to the TMC420 controller.
SOH TYPE [##] STX [DATA TEXT] ETX BCC CR

requests the marker error status; returns a value that

represents a particular type of error:
Returned Value
0x0000
0x0001
0x0002
0x0004
0x0008
0x0010
0x0020
0x0040
0x0080
0x0100
0x0200
0x8000

Type of Error
no error
ONLINE_ERROR
PATTERN_LOAD_ERROR
DISALLOWED_NO_PATTERN
DISALLOWED_OFFLINE
PATTERN_FIELD_ERROR
MARKER_ABORTED_ERROR
FILE_TRANSFER_ERROR
PIX_OUT_OF_RANGE_ERROR
RAM_ERROR
SN_RANGE_ERROR
undefined error

[##] Two optional ASCII decimal digits that specify the Station

ID number for use in multi-drop network applications. The ID

may range from 00-31. Note that 00 is reserved for applications
where only one controller is used. In such applications, this field
may be eliminated and 00 will be assumed.
STX ASCII Start of Text Character (002H).
[DATA TEXT] Optional field that may be required for certain

message types.
ETX ASCII end of text character (003H).
BCC Optional Block Check Code that is generated and sent to

improve link reliability by providing fault detection. The BCC is

calculated by taking an eight bit addition of the TYPE and DATA
TEXT characters and transmitting them as a three digit ASCII
decimal number in the range from 000 to 255. If the sum is greater
than 255, the most significant bit overflows and is discarded.
CR ASCII Carriage Return Character (00DH).

SOH ASCII Start of Header character (001H). The controller

ignores all characters received prior to the SOH.

TRADEMARKS

Telesis and PINSTAMP are registered trademarks of Telesis

Technologies, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

Doc. No. 36996 Rev. G

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